Kray twins' personal possessions to fetch hundreds as they go under the hammer

Items which once belonged to the infamous crime bosses include a bible, with bookmarks placed at chapters on judgement and damnation

Personal possessions of the infamous Kray twins - many of which belonged to them while they served life sentences for murder - are to go under the hammer at auction.

Items belonging to Ronnie Kray, and later passed to Reggie Kray after his brother's death in jail, include a carefully-thumbed Bible and worn wristwatch, as well as a "sinister" painting by notorious prisoner Charles Bronson, which he sent to Reggie in jail some time before 1999.

The lots have all come from an anonymous private seller, and are expected to fetch hundreds of pounds each.

Jonathan Humbert, from auction house JP Humbert's of Towcester, said the Kings James version Bible which had belonged to Ronnie was an intriguing lot because of the placement of three original bookmarks which pick out "chapters on judgement and damnation".

"For example, the first bookmark is in Psalms 26, where it reads 'Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in mine integrity.

"It goes on: 'examine me, O Lord, and prove me'.

"Another of the bookmarks picks out the book of Hosea.

"We have not touched them, and we are assured the markers have not been moved by the vendor either.

"So you have on one hand an infamous criminal who thought nothing of using violence to mete out his own punishments, but who here has a copy of the Bible and has apparently picked out these passages on judgement and damnation.

"It is in some ways the opposite of what you might expect these guys to have in their possession."

Mr Humbert said that according to paperwork accompanying the lots - which will also go to the winning bidders - the items were all given away by Reggie in 1999 while he was serving time at HM Prison Wayland in Norfolk.

Ronnie's Quartz wristwatch which he had while in jail is also among the items together with various paintings and drawings by his brother.

However, one of the lots described by Mr Humbert as "altogether more sinister" is a portrait painting by the serving category A prisoner Charles Bronson which he gifted to Reggie.

A message penned on the back of the canvas from Bronson reads: "To Reg, from your friend, Charlie Bronson".

Bronson, whose real name is Michael Peterson, is currently serving a life term at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes and has earned public notoriety with a history of violence both inside and outside jail.

Ronald and Reginald Kray, together with older brother Charlie, were infamous for their involvement running organised crime rackets in London's East End and were both jailed for life in 1969 for the murders of fellow gangsters George Cornell and Jack "The Hat" McVitie.

During their prison terms, Ronnie was held at Broadmoor Hospital in Berkshire, while Reggie was held at jails including the high security HMP Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight.

Ronnie died of a heart attack in prison in 1995, while Reggie died of terminal cancer eight weeks after he was granted release on compassionate grounds because of his illness.

Mr Humbert said: "Because we have the prison transfer paperwork from when Reggie gave these items away, the provenance is absolute.

"We're expecting a lot of interest because of the brothers' notoriety."

The lots will go under the hammer at JP Humbert's Towcester-based sale rooms from 5pm on March 19.